OPEN DAYS: bringing cohesion policy closer to citizens

Others Press release - Regional policy − 10-10-2011 - 10:36

The new legislative proposals on cohesion policy for 2014-2020 took centre stage at the opening session of this year’s OPEN DAYS – European Regions and Cities. European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso both underlined the need for a cohesion policy designed to bolster growth and rebuild the citizens’ confidence.

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek underlined that “the most important factor in cohesion policy is to be as close as possible to our citizens.” He called upon all politicians to cooperate closely and translate the draft into legislation which is comprehensible and responds to the citizens’ need for jobs.

“We can’t have stability in Europe unless we have stability in the regions”, said European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. With this “fair and balanced proposal”, the Commission is aiming for more consistency and more coherence in cohesion policy, he said. Mr Barroso called on the audience “to make the case of Europe in your countries: the money that you in invest is not for Brussels, it is for the regions!”

EP Regional Development Committee chair Danuta Hübner welcomed the proposal and promised that MEPs will work closely with Member States, the Commission and regions “to do everything to turn this into the best regulation by the end of 2012”, led by the need “to support sustainability and growth”.

She stressed the EU added value of an integrated cohesion policy combining the EU 2020 goals and a local approach. Any conditions tagged onto regional funding should be linked exclusively to regional policy, she concluded, and not be used in a “chain of punishments” targeting national governments for failing to meet macro-economic conditions.

Committee of the Regions President Mercedes Bresso and regional representatives voiced a fear that that “the red rag” of macro-economic conditions might hamper investment at local and regional levels. “If local authorities are made to suffer, in a moment of crisis, how can we justify that?” Ms Bresso asked.

You can review the full debate on the Parliament’s Website by VOD (see link below).